Euronews: Azerbaijan strengthens ties with Vatican through restoration work

Euronews TV channel prepared a report on the visit of Azerbaijan's First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva to the Vatican.

The material titled "Azerbaijan strengthens ties with the Vatican through restoration works in the Holy See" notes that Mehriban Aliyeva's visit was an important step in the development of bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and the Vatican.

It emphasizes that Vatican officials highly appreciated Azerbaijan's role in preserving world heritage and strengthening interfaith dialogue. In particular, Azerbaijan supports the restoration of historic catacombs in the Vatican, as well as the construction of a new Catholic church in Baku.

The report states that the First Vice-President of Azerbaijan participated in the opening of the restoration project of the Commodilla Catacombs - an ancient Christian complex from the 4th century. The restoration was carried out with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation based on an agreement signed on March 4, 2021, with the Pontifical Commission for Sacred Archaeology.

The catacombs, discovered in the 18th century and first studied by archaeologists in 1900, contain some of the earliest Christian artifacts and are traditionally considered the burial place of early Christian martyrs Felix and Adauctus. In the Middle Ages, they were an important pilgrimage site for believers. To preserve the fragile frescoes and strengthen the underground walls, restoration work was carried out using laser and nanotechnology methods.

Euronews notes that during the visit, Mehriban Aliyeva met with Pope Leo XIV, who emphasized the importance of interfaith dialogue with Azerbaijan. There was also a meeting with the Secretary General of the Vatican City State, Sister Raffaella Petrini. As a sign of friendship and common cultural heritage, they planted a symbolic pomegranate tree.

In the Vatican Apostolic Library, Mehriban Aliyeva got acquainted with rare Azerbaijani manuscripts, the preservation of which is supported by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. Joint projects have allowed for the digitization and protection of centuries-old texts and maps of the region.

Additionally, the First Vice-President visited Europe's largest pediatric research center - the Bambino Gesu Hospital, where a new cooperation agreement was signed, which will allow Azerbaijani doctors to work together with Italian colleagues on research of genetic and rare diseases.

"Beyond Rome, the construction of a new Catholic church in Baku, dedicated to Saint John Paul II, continues. The Vatican Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, blessed the construction site and laid the first stone for the foundation of the new church in December 2024. From ancient catacombs to modern construction sites, cooperation between Azerbaijan and the Holy See continues to develop in the context of cultural exchange, scientific cooperation, and mutual respect," the report notes.